A Girl In His Arms
by The Dark Knight's Revenge
Summary: Jim's first day on the R.L.S. Legacy. He mops the deck, and meets his ex. what else could go wrong? Maybe he still likes her...But what happens when she almost dies? Will she blame him, or will she want him back?
1. Chapter 1

Jim hung himself from the riggings, relishing the feel of the space winds blowing through his hair.

Right now, he felt care free, without the troubles of a fifteen-year-old boy.

"Jimbo!" He heard Silver call from across the deck.

Great.

He was a slave to this cyborg, probably the same one that had ruined his mother's inn.

Jim untangled himself from the ropes and climbed down, slouching his was over to Silver.

"I want ye to meet yer new friends, Mr. Mop, and Mrs. Bucket"

The cyborg threw the said objoects at Jim.

Obviously, he was meant to swab the deck.

Jim started walking over to the least cluttered part of the wood deck, intent on cleaning it.

CRASH

"Jim?"

He turned around and saw a Medium sized girl with Brown hair and eyes, dressed in the same baggy clothing and boots he was.

"Claire"

Jim instantly dropped his mop and bucket with a clatter, walking quickly over to help her get the box of machinery back together.

"Why are you here"

There was an odd tone in his voice, almost anger, but tinged with bitterness.

"My father died, and I decided that I would go out in space" She said, her eyes tinged with hidden sadness.

Jim looked away, avoiding her eyes.

"I'm sorry to hear that"

He stood up, gathering his mop and bucket.

"I never forgot you, you know"

Then he was off on another part of the deck, trying to make sense of his childish emotions.

* * *

Off and on, Jim and Claire saw each other. Sometimes, it was a brush in hallway, sometimes she had to help in the kitchen.

Jim tried not to get too involved, being with her brought up unwanted memories and feelings.

Long John Silver noticed this, and decided to ask the boy about it.  
He got his chance about a week later, when they were checking out a comet that was trailing their route.

When they finished tying the long boat down, Silver sat back, fanning himself with his hat, Jim doing the same.

"Jim, I been meaning ter ask ye"

Jim leaned back, putting his head behind his hands.

"Yeah?"

"What's yer relationship with the girl?"

Jim looked back at Silver, an odd expression in his eyes.

"Why?"

Silver put his hat back on his head.

"I seen the way ye look at her"

Jim leaned forward, looking at his feet.

"It's a long story"

"I got time"

Jim sighed and clasped his hands.

"We used to be together, you know? I mean, we've know each other since we were five"

Long John's expression changed.

"What happened?"

Jim took apiece of rope, tying it around his fingers.

"She left me" He choked slightly at the end.

"That's harsh" Silver whispered, tightening his mechanical arm.

"Yeah" Jim said, wiping his eyes quickly, then got up and left, leaving Silver alone and puzzled.

* * *

The next day, Jim and Claire were tying up the hammocks when a tremor rocked the ship, sending Claire flying into Jim's arms.

He caught her, clasping his arms around her middle.

"You can let me go" she said, trying to break his hold.

"Please Jim" she said, more urgently this time.

"Shh" he said, tightening his hold.

Something wasn't right here.

It was dead silent.

"Jim" She said, her voice getting slightly higher.

Then, another tremor rocked the ship, throwing them both into the wall.

"Get up there" Jim yelled, pushing her towards the ladder.

Crew members were running about, bringing in the sails.

Jim's head jerked to the right.

Clarie followed his gaze and gasped.

One of the local stars had gone supernova, slowly devolving into a black hole.

"Hawkins! tie off the lifelines!" The captain yelled from the wheel.

"I'll help" Claire said, following him.

They tied off the lines, also securing their own.

"Unfurl the sails!" the captain called, earning groans from the crew.

"Make up your blooming mind!" one called, earning dark looks from the First mate, Mr. Arrow.

They did, but it made no difference, the ship was still falling into the black hole.

Jim scrambled down from the sails, checking the lifelines.

Above him, Claire balanced on one of the sail ties.

A tremor shook the ship.

Claire wobbled.

Oh god.

She was going to fall.

She teetered on the edge, then her boot slipped and she plummeted to the deck.

Jim ran towards her, and caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Hold onto your lifelines! it's going to be a bumpy ride!" The captain yelled.

Jim pushed Claire up against the mast, shielding her with his body.

"I love you" He whispered into her ear.

What the hell, it might be the last time he ever got the chance to say it to her.

Alive, that is.

As they fell into the darkness of the blackhole, it grew dim around them.

"Close your eyes" He whispered to Claire.

She did, her chest heaving with dry sobs.

This was it.

He had heard the Doctor and the Captain talking about the last wave, and how they would ride the last megara out of the black hole.

This had better work...

All he could see was darkness.

_Sorry mom._

Then, there was an explosion of heat and light.

A huge tremor rocked the ship, and Jim was thrown into the side of the ship.

He heard Claire scream, but couldn't see her.

Silver grabbed him and held him to the mast again.

Then, the ship was free, and they were riding the last Megara of the black hole.

It was all over.

They were free.

* * *

"Mr. Arrow!" The captain called, extracting herself from the wreckage.

"Mr. Arrow?"

Then, Scroop came forward.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Arrow was lost, his lifeline wasn't secure"

He handed the captain Mr. Arrow's hat.

Captain Amelia seemed lost for words.

"I checked it" Jim whispered.

"I checked it" he said, running to the life line rack.

Arrow's was gone.

"Mr. Arrow was my most trusted crew mate, and a dear, dear friend. but he knew the risks, as do we all. we push on"

The crew slowly started to disperse, the captain starting to her quarters.

Then Jim remembered the scream...

"Claire?"

The crew looked back, watching Jim.

"Claire!"

Everything was still. Absolutely still.

The captain sighed.

Another casualty

No.

No.

No.

"No!" he screamed.

He fell over, leaning against the mast.

She was gone, dumped over the side, just like Arrow.

It was his fault.

Then, he heard a scrabbling sound on the side of the ship.

He ran and looked over the side.

Hanging there by one hand, holding onto the edge of the ship, was Claire.

Jim quickly pulled her up, hugging her so hard that he fell over backwards, Claire landing on top of him.

"Thank God" he whispered, tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.

Claire gasped, leaning into his chest.

He helped her stand, an arm holding her up by the waist.

"It was Scroop" she said to the crew.

"He pushed Arrow over, I tried to stop him, and he pushed me over too"

The captain, who had come back while he pulled Claire back over, turned to Scroop.

"Take this sadistic spider to the brig"

Scroop seethed as he was dragged away, glaring at Claire and silently vowing revenge.

Jim saw the harm that was visible in the spider's eyes and put his arm protectively around her shoulder.

* * *

That night, Claire slept in Jim's hammock with him.

As he watched Claire sleep, Jim thought about what had happened that day.

His behavior had definitely shown that he was in love with her.

But was he?

He definitely shouldn't.

Their break-up had been so hard, taking him months to recover, never quite putting himself back together right.

But now that he was here, his heart felt full, almost like the break-up had never happened.

Maybe he should give it another chance.

It had been quite a while since they had slept together, he had missed the feel of her in his arms, her soft breathing.

He gently moved her to the side and yanked his shirt over his head and slipped off his boots.

Then, he gently took Claire back into his arms, relishing the feel of her small form against his.

She was only dressed in her baggy pants and a white tank with nothing underneath, leaving quite a bit to the imagination.

Claire had definitely grown in the last few years, her curves growing more prominent.

Jim smiled.

What the heck? He could give this another chance.

He always would be a fifteen year-old boy.

A boy with a gorgeous girl in his arms.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Jim and Claire didn't see each other much, their tasks taking them to different parts of the ship. The megara from the night before had thrown things in quite a disarray. Both found the remaining crew to be more hostile than usual.

It wasn't until after dinner and the dishes were all clean that Claire found Jim on deck leaning against the rail, looking out at the sky. She stood nearby, watching him with bright brown eyes.

"You know, I tried to forget about everything we did together on Montressor, but it didn't turn out that easy" He said, instantly aware of her presence. Claire was silent for a while.

"Did you mean what you said, when you pinned me to the mast yesterday?" She finally asked. Jim looked at her, his blue eyes brimming with emotions.

"Yeah" Claire came a bit closer, tracing his cheek with her hand.

"I think I love you too, even though I don't have a right to anymore" Jim closed the distance between them, brushing his lips gently to hers. When they broke apart, he took her hand from his cheek and pressed it to his chest.

"Don't leave me again" He whispered. Claire hugged him tightly.

"I promise" They kissed again.

Little did the new couple know, this scene was being watched carefully. Up in the crow's nest, a certain spider psycho saw all.

* * *

Jim walked Claire to the sleeping quarters, leaving her at the door and continuing on to the galley, where he knew he would find Silver.

As he walked, Jim let a grin creep onto his face. He felt like he could fly. THe wounds of the past seemed to be healing, and now he had his girl back where she belonged. In his arms.

Jim paused at the Galley doors, hearing voices. One he recognized instantly as Silver, and the other... The other was none other than Scroop.

What was that spider psycho doing down here?

"-I tell you the truth..." Scroop hissed.

"You will wait for my orders!" Silver yelled, banging his fist on something with a loud bang. Jim recoiled. What was going on? Footsteps sounded, coming towards the door, and Jim ran down the hall before anyone could see him.

Scroop emerged from the galley, his scarlet color blazing in anger. He looked the way Jim had gone, yellow eyes suspicious. Then he turned the other way and went in the direction of the brig.

Jim crouched down behind a barrel, staring at the wall.

What were they up to?

Suddenly, Jim realized he could no longer trust Silver. He had to keep Claire and the map close at hand.


End file.
